


BEES! (Bumbleby Week 2020)

by KatMotif



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, At least one prompt is AU, Background Relationships, Bumbleby Week 2020 (RWBY), Canon's all over the place for these ficlets and I'm sorry, DC Comics Referenced, F/F, Falling In Love, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, Love Confessions, One Shot Collection, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Others to be tagged as they appear - Freeform, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Prompt Fic, Soulmates, background renora
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-06-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:21:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 6,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24495625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KatMotif/pseuds/KatMotif
Summary: A series of one-shots for Bumbleby Week! These one-shots are an exploration of two huntresses slowly falling in love while they save the world.
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long, Lie Ren/Nora Valkyrie
Comments: 10
Kudos: 111





	1. Memento

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone, it's Kat! Happy Pride Month and Happy Bumbleby Week! I'm still really new to writing RWBY (so please bear with me here) but this is a perfectly good way for me to get more acquainted with writing fic for one of my more recent hyperfixations. Bumbleby is a really big deal to me, I think their dynamic is fantastic and they're my favorite ship (well, they're tied with Renora, but yeah) in the show. And it's practically canon at this point! Heck yeah!
> 
> Please enjoy the fics! Leave a kudos if you enjoy (comments are appreciated too, of course, but no pressure. I can never think of any myself lol).

“I thought you’d be more upset about the fact that I threw that bottle cap into the ocean.” Blake spoke softly, her and Yang the only ones awake in Team RWBY’s Atlas dorm room. The sun was rising, leaving the usually cold exterior with a warm glow. They’d both woken up early, and a soft conversation started between the two partners, careful as not to wake Ruby, and even more so, Weiss. 

“It’s just a bottle cap. It was cute that you kept it in the first place, but ultimately it’s just something else that...reminded you of everything. I think I understand that you weren’t in the best place at the time.” Yang was reassuring and gentle with her tone, and Blake was thankful for her partner’s patience.

“It was a memento, though. It reminded me of you. But it also reminded me of what happened to you because of me.” Blake breathed, sighing.

“It wasn’t your fault. I keep telling you that. He can’t hurt you--us, anymore.” Yang spoke, climbing down from the top bunk of the dorm and sitting on the edge of Blake’s bed, reaching over and taking Blake’s hand in hers; the one she hadn’t lost. Blake smiled and squeezed back, realizing that Yang’s fingers were far warmer than hers.

A beat passed, and the two of them met eyes. Blake sat up slowly, scooting closer to Yang and leaning her head on her shoulder. She sighed again when Yang’s head leaned on hers. She still had a pang of guilt, like she wasn’t worthy of this; whatever they had now. She was sure of her own feelings, her heart was pounding and her face flushed, but she didn’t want to assume Yang felt the same. 

“Where did you get this ring, anyway?” Yang asked softly, finding the slightly too-big ring on Blake’s finger. The faunus sat up and looked at her hand; she’d forgotten she’d been holding onto it when she slept.

“It’s a weird story. While I was home in Menagerie, my mom and I went fishing together...and as we were eating it...I found the ring inside my food. My mom earlier that day told me this legend about a faunus princess. She had fallen in love with a human, and she’d given him a ring. After he died in battle, she died of a broken heart.” Blake explained softly, fiddling with the ring on her index finger. After being quiet for a moment, Yang hummed in understanding. 

Yang took back her hand for a moment, looking at the friendship bracelet Ruby had given her; she’d given all of them one, the strings each of their four colors, braided together. Though Yang’s was unique, and she’d not shown Blake yet why it was. Turning it on her wrist, and the Sunflower Pop bottle cap that had been attached to the bracelet became visible to them both. Blake’s eyes widened slightly.

“Yang…”

“I found it on the beach, when I’d gotten off the boat in Anima. It...reminded me of...you. So I kept it. Later gave it to Ruby and she had it placed on my bracelet.” Yang said, blushing at the admission. Blake felt her heart skip a beat and she smiled.

“No wonder you weren’t mad. Though, it would be a funny coincidence...if it’s actually the same bottle cap.” Blake murmured softly, breathing in the gunpowder and sunflower essence that was Yang. Yang chuckled a bit.

“It would be. I’d like to think it is.” Yang breathed. It was then Blake made a decision. Taking the ring off her own finger, she gently took Yang’s hand in hers and placed in on her ring finger. Yang’s face flushed quickly.

“Wait, don’t you think we should at least go on a date first before you put a ring on my finger, Blake?” Yang quietly shouted, and Blake had to fight the urge to laugh out loud, letting out a few snorts instead, which Yang joined in. After they’d both recovered from their silent laughing fit, after they thought they’d heard Weiss stir a bit (she was only turning over), they looked at each other again.

“Keep it. As a memento. Of...our partnership.” Blake said softly, looking away and biting her lip as her own face flushed. “Besides, it’s too big for my hand anyway. It fits yours a lot better.”

Yang smiled and nodded, then leaned forward. She’d intended to press her lips to Blake’s then thought better of it, opting for her brow instead.

“I will. Always.”


	2. Scars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The events of the night Beacon fell left both Yang and Blake with scars. They slowly begin to help each other heal from them, together.

Yang had noticed the scar on Blake’s stomach almost as soon as they were reunited at Haven Academy; the x-shaped scar, barely hidden by her coat. She knew exactly where it was from, remembering the exact moment she’d heard her partner’s cry of pain that night at Beacon. 

Get AWAY FROM HER!

Yang had gotten more than a scar that night, evident by the cold metal that was now her right arm. It had taken some adjusting, having just one hand and it being her less dominant one. Her handwriting was never the same, even when she started using the prosthetic to write, much less neater than it had been, but she’d never been one for penmanship in the first place anyway. She’d gotten better with her left hand, though.

But there were also the nightmares of Adam, his mask glowing in the darkness as he, again, charged at her. There were the phantom pains in her arm that woke her up some nights. There was the loss of confidence she was still fighting to get back.

None of these things, however, were things that Yang had ever blamed Blake for. The only thing that Blake had done wrong, in Yang’s eyes, was leave her after what happened. Though now, she was beginning to understand why. They were both watching their backs constantly, seeing Adam in places he wasn’t...was he? Sometimes she wasn’t so sure.

She knew that Adam had done so much to hurt Blake. She knew they’d met when Blake was still so young and impressionable, and that he’d lead her down a path and manipulated her into following. She was thankful that Blake had realized where she’d been headed and left him and came to Beacon instead; she was grateful they’d ever even met.

As much as it still hurt, she understood that Blake had been trying to protect her; she got it, and a part of her even didn’t really blame her. And unlike others who had left Yang before...Blake came back. And that, in of itself, meant everything. The scars that came with it were worth it as long as they were together.

-

Blake couldn’t help the minor pang of guilt she felt every time she’d glance at Yang’s arm, the prosthetic that was there now in place of the arm she’d lost defending her from Adam at Beacon’s fall. The night that the one place she’d ever felt safe, the people, friends, who’d made her feel the happiest she’d ever felt, were all taken away from her. 

Though here she was with her teammates, their friends (though it would never be quite the same without the missing member of JNPR, they all missed Pyrrha so much), running off to save the world. And yet, the feeling that he was one step behind them wouldn’t leave her mind, no matter how she tried not to dwell on them. The scars Adam had left on Blake were not just physical, more than the x-shaped scar on her abdomen.   
But Blake knew those scars had been extended to her partner, Yang. And Yang, while still distant because of how she’d left (she knew she understood her reasons, but it was still painful to be held at an arm’s length) made it clear she didn’t blame her for what had happened that night to her. 

“I’d do it again in a second. No hesitation. Maybe with more aura left in reserves...but yeah.” Yang had reassured her in the middle of the night the first night she’d been back with her team again.

The guilt was hard to shake for Blake--both because Yang had gotten hurt because of her (and would again) and because she’d unintentionally caused her hurt by leaving, even if she believed she’d been protecting her by doing so. It was enough to make her feel uneasy without the nagging feeling that they were being followed. That they had been followed since Haven, visions of Adam randomly appearing filling her peripheral vision in daylight and her own nightmares at night.

She feared he would be coming for them. Not just her and Yang, she feared Ruby and Weiss wouldn’t be safe either. She didn’t even think Jaune or his team would be either. Yet whenever she was close to Yang, whenever they were alone, just talking to each other, catching up on what they’d missed, it was the closest Blake had felt to safe as she’d felt at Beacon.

She felt safe with Yang, and she wanted Yang to feel safe with her too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I rambled on a bit too much with this one and I didn't quite know where to end it, but oh well. I feel like this is more character study than anything. I'm still getting used to writing these two and I hope it's not too obvious. Enjoy nonetheless.


	3. Soulmates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blake thinks about the concept of soulmates, and wonders if maybe Yang is hers.

Blake didn’t know if she believed in the concept of soulmates before she went to Beacon. It was something she read about, a lot of those books she liked to read would have the concept as a recurring theme between love interests. One book had two characters fall in love and die tragically, before eventually meeting again in their next life. It touched her in a way it could only touch a young woman who wanted to believe in true love. She believed her true love had been Adam before coming to her senses, before she ran.

Then, she met Yang Xiao Long. The buxom (both in cheerfulness and physique, Blake immediately noticed) blonde who approached her with her younger sister that first night in Beacon made an impression on the hiding faunus, whether or not she let it show. She couldn’t quite place it, but it somehow felt like she’d met her once before, even though she was sure they’d never met before.

I’d remember meeting a girl like her, I’m sure. She thought to herself, lying in her sleeping bag that night, staring up at the school’s ceiling until sleep eventually claimed her.

The next day, she found the fiery blonde in the forest, fighting Ursa on her own. As it were, she was far stronger than Blake assumed she would be; in fact, she was a damn powerhouse. Her being Blake’s partner wasn’t even a question, and she didn’t hesitate for a second to take down that last Ursa as Yang stared it down. Smirking at the blonde, she hoped the second impression was better than the first.

“I could’ve taken it.” Yang said, a playful objection to her interference. Yang didn’t seem to question their partnership either, their eyes meeting as if they’d met so many times before, so Blake ran with it. They ended up on Team RWBY together, with Yang’s sister Ruby as leader, and (much to her secret amusement) the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, Weiss. 

Yang wasn’t her first partner, but she never worked so...perfectly in sync with someone before. In battle, the two seemed to know exactly what the other was thinking. She trusted no one else with Gambol Shroud before Yang, but she often threw her weapon or it’s ribbon at her like she’d been tossing it to herself. And every time, Yang caught it perfectly. 

But did she think of Yang as her soulmate? She didn’t put it into thought until she’d had a conversation with Lie Ren of Team JNPR one morning over breakfast. As it were, a book she was about to lend him had the concept as a plotline, and she was curious to pick his brain a bit. They were both the quieter members of their teams, and she often found him to be relatable.

“Do you believe in soulmates?” She asked, sliding the book across the cafeteria table to him, the cover art glistening in the sunlight.

“It is something I think about quite often.” Ren spoke softly, looking over to his partner, Nora, as she fiddled with her pancakes. 

“Me too.” Blake answered, looking to Yang, who was fussing over Ruby, who had gotten a bit of syrup on her chin. “It’s like, do you ever get the feeling you were meant to be with the person you’re with?”

“I…” Ren paused, returning to his cup of green tea, still steaming hot, and his face slightly blushed. “I believe that we find the people we have in our lives for a reason, good or bad. It’s what we do with those relationships that’s important.”

“I agree.” Blake nodded, sipping her own tea. Her cat ears twitched slightly beneath her bow. She paused for a moment to look down at her plate, not really looking at the scrambled eggs or half-finished croissant. 

“The idea of having a soulmate is a nice thought though. I don’t know if I necessarily believe in it, but I like the idea of the guarantee of finding someone you’d known in a past life again.” Ren clarified, turning the book over and looking at the back cover.

“I wonder what I was in a past life. Ooh, maybe I was a shark!” Nora came in, slurping a pancake into her mouth.

“Nora, you have absolutely no table manners at all.” Weiss scolded from the other end of the table, clearly needing more coffee. 

Blake decided Ren had a point; the idea of having known a love in a past life and finding them again in the next was a concept she liked, too. She was also pretty sure if soulmates were, in fact, a thing, that Ren and Nora definitely were, somehow. She wondered if Yang was her soulmate, if they had known each other in a previous lifetime and were brought back together by some kind of strange fate.

The idea sure was nice to think about, indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little late with this entry, my bad. I got caught up playing ACNH with a friend. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this. (Plus a little bonus Renora hinting because why not.)


	4. Roommates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blake's moving into her college dorm room and she finds her roommates aren't quite what she expected.

Blake was both excited and terrified to start college, especially going to a campus so far from home. Yet, after getting out of her last relationship, she needed a change of scenery, to get away and start anew. Especially since he had the tendency to stalk her during their break-ups, even though she knew he was going to prison, the fear still lingered in the back of her mind that he could appear in front of her at any moment, even so many states away.

She tried not to think about him, about the past, and focus on the now. Moving into dorms, starting her new life as a photography major at a college that wasn’t any of the schools her parents had picked out (yet they had been so supportive nonetheless, she was happy she’d gotten back in contact with them after her ex had kept her away from them). And meeting her new roommate. She adjusted the beanie on her head, black with little yarn cat-ears stitched to the top (her mom had made it for her in high school and even now she couldn’t bear to part with it) before entering the room, finding two bunk beds and two of her roommates talking to each other.

One of them was a girl who looked too young for college, light gray (silver?) eyes and black hair, cropped short and colored with a bright red ombre. The other, the one that drew Blake’s eye first, was a taller, well built blonde. Her eyes were violet and she had the biggest grin on her face as she pulled the other girl in for a hug.

“Sis, please! I get that you’re happy we’re roommates and we’re starting college together but you’re embarrassing me!” The younger sister cried out, trying to wiggle out of her sister’s tight embrace.

“I can’t help it! My genius baby sister and I are starting college together! I’m so excited!” The older sister hummed, picking the smaller girl up and swinging her around with ease. Blake felt a slight heat rise on her cheeks.

God I wish that were me.

“Um, hello? Is this 519?” Blake asked, drawing the attention of the other two young women, who turned to her. The blonde released the now furiously blushing brunette, who tried not to look too flustered.

“Hey! It’s one of our other roomies! I’m Yang Xiao Long!” She said, stepping forward and offering a handshake to Blake, which she graciously accepted. Her grip was almost too firm but Blake just smiled. Turning to the other girl, she noticed she was just a bit more nervous.

“I-I’m Ruby Rose...nice to meet you.” Ruby said, also shaking Blake’s hand, much more gently.

“Blake Belladonna.” Blake introduced herself with a bow of her head. She looked around the room again; not a terribly small room but still felt a bit cramped with just one desk, a bookshelf and two bunk beds at the opposite sides of the room from each other.

“Sorry, but me and sis already claimed the top bunks of both the beds. Hope you don’t mind.” Yang said, scratching the back of her head with a grin. Blake shrugged, hoping her blush wasn’t too obvious.

“You’re sisters?” She asked, attempting conversation with the two.

“Yeah! Ruby’s only 15 but she’s always been a bit of a genius and graduated super early. She’s got a full ride scholarship and she’s gonna be a kick-ass engineer!” Yang beamed, much to Ruby’s embarrassment, the younger sister covering her reddening face with her hands.

“Sis, please. Don’t brag about it, I’m just really smart okay. No big deal.” Ruby muttered, crossing her arms once her blush died down.

“I mean, I think it’s pretty cool you’re going to college already. It’s like you have a head start to do whatever you want to do with your life. Don’t be embarrassed.” Blake said gently, hoping to ease the nerves of the younger girl. Ruby blinked, then smiled at her.

“T-thanks.” Ruby squeaked. Before they could continue their conversation, the door opened behind them with a loud thud. There stood another young woman, with white hair and blue eyes and expensive looking clothing, looking around the room with an incredulous look on her face. Blake wasn’t sure if she pitied or was annoyed by the young woman.

“No. This is...I can’t share a room with three people, there’s got to be some kind of mistake! I’m a Schnee for goodness’ sake! I’ve got to talk to the R.A. about this!” The young woman cried out, dropping her bags at the door and walking quickly down the hall. Ruby ran out of the room.

“Wait! At least introduce yourself first!” she was heard crying, running after the rich girl. Blake and Yang looked at each other and immediately laughed.

“Well, whatever the case, that’s our other roommate. Anyway...your hat is super cute. Where’d you get it?” Yang said, a hint of nerves rising in her tone. Blake bit her lip slightly. It’d been some time since someone had last flirted with her and for the first time in a while, she wasn’t worried about the consequences of flirting back.

“Actually, my mom made it for me. Long ago. I just...still have it.” Blake said, slightly embarrassed herself. Yang’s smile faltered for a moment before coming back, a bit more warmly.

“That’s really sweet. I like that.” Yang spoke softly. Blake felt herself blush again.

Eventually Ruby came back, dragging their fourth roomie with her. She introduced herself, rather huffedly, as Weiss Schnee. The four of them spent the rest of the afternoon arranging their room to their liking and getting to know each other; Weiss was enrolled as a business major but was actually interested in music (her father was basically forcing her into it, which concerned Blake, but she wouldn’t push too much on the first night) and Yang actually wasn’t decided on her major yet.

They would order a pizza (which amusingly enough was Weiss’ first time ever hearing of pizza, God was she sheltered) and talked and it soon began to feel like these other three girls were old friends that Blake had known for years. It was comfortable, and for the first time in a long while, she actually felt safe. 

It helped that each time she looked over to Yang and the other girl looked back at her, the two exchanged a smile. Maybe, she thought, this would be a new beginning in more than one way. Blake was ready to see where it was going to take her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Late again, sorry. I was distracted by something again. Anyway, I know a college AU is an easy pick but I like the idea. So here we are. Thanks for reading. (Heck I almost want to keep writing this but we'll see)


	5. Affection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yang had always taken care of the people around her. Blake was no exception. In fact, she found that she cared about her more than anyone else she had before.

Yang was always an affectionate person, from an early age. She loved cuddling up to her parents when she was little (Summer was her mom, regardless of blood), she loved doting on her little sister Ruby from the moment she was born. She loved hugging friends, giving tummy rubs to Zwei. And this wasn’t limited to physical acts of affection either; she always checked up on friends she knew were having a hard time, or stepped up to take care of things where others could not. 

So from the second she met Blake Belladonna, something about the other girl made those instincts to care hum vibrantly inside her. She started off small, of course; she wasn’t the kind to be overbearing (at least not at first) but something told her Blake needed a bit more support. Reminding her not to leave the dorm without her bow, making sure she had enough to eat and wasn’t just drinking a cup of coffee during breakfast, studying or sparring together, or just being there to talk to her. Little things became bigger things and sometimes, when Blake would let her, she’d give her a hug when she was feeling particularly down.

She came to know why Blake was so guarded; her history, her ex. Adam Taurus had left her with a reasonable distrust of those around her, but Yang slowly helped her unbuild those walls, along with Ruby and Weiss of course. Yang wanted Blake to trust her, and there was something else underneath that she didn’t quite understand yet but Blake was important to her in more than just the sense she was her partner.

Their separation after the fall of Beacon wasn’t just painful because Blake left her when she needed her the most. It was because after everything they’d been through together, she felt like nothing she’d done had been enough to get Blake to stay.

But then Blake came back. And stayed, something that had never really happened to Yang before. She didn’t quite know what to do now; she was the more emotionally vulnerable of the two of them now. And yet, Blake was there for her much of the same way she’d been there for her in Beacon. She made sure Yang got plenty of sleep and was there to soothe her when she’d had a nightmare. She was there to reassure Yang that she was still strong, that she wanted to be her partner.

Then, they faced Adam together. Despite her own shaking, her own fears of not making it in time to help, to save Blake, she stood, facing the man who had caused them both so much turmoil. Something clicked for Yang when her trembling hand was taken into Blake’s, when Blake spoke to Adam.

“She’s not protecting me. And I’m not protecting her.  **We’re protecting each other.** ”

Yang was no longer taking care of someone; she was being taken care of too. Blake cared for her as she did Blake. And that swelling feeling in her chest manifested itself into a feeling Yang hadn’t quite put into words yet. That feeling she thought came to her so easily but not in this way, never before in this way it did like it did with Blake.

She loved Blake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Figured it was about time I try writing just from Yang's POV for a chapter. I hope you're all enjoying these! -Kat


	6. Sun/Moon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Everyone Lives AU) One hot summer day at Beacon, Blake and Yang reflect on their loves and how they compare to the Sun and to the Moon.

_ She is like the sun, _

_ Golden and shining, _

_ Warm and inviting. _

_ I lay in her brilliance, _

_ Hoping her rays will lull me, _

_ To a sense of safety _

_ I’ve never had before. _

_ I wonder if she sees me, _

_ Like the moon, _

_ Broken in pieces, _

_ Yet still lighting the darkness, _

_ With her light reflected off of me. _

Blake closed her notebook when she heard footsteps approach her quickly, her face flushing to see Yang running over to her with an excited beam. Sitting up from laying against the shady tree she’d found unoccupied in the school square, she looked up at her partner and reflected her smile back to her.

“Come on Blake, we’re gonna be late to class!” Yang said, offering Blake a hand up. Blake reached up and took it.

“Okay, let’s go.” She replied. The sun seemed to add to the glow of Yang; her hair and her skin looked radiant on this hot summer day. During the summer months, the uniform jackets were put away and the shirts became short sleeved, something everyone was grateful for. It wasn’t nearly as hot in Vale as it would get in Menagerie, but it could still be overbearing, especially for those from cooler climates like Atlas. 

The two walked, neither of them realizing their hands never parted from Yang helping Blake up from the ground and leading her to Port’s classroom. Neither of them, actually, really seemed to care. 

* * *

The setting of the sun came with cooler temperatures and a ceasing of Weiss’ nagging about the heat, something Yang was thankful for. Their team and JNPR sat outside, on picnic blankets, eating popsicles that she and Pyrrha had made. She was thankful for the cooler temperatures even if heat was kind of her thing. She felt Blake sit next to her, two popsicles in her hand.

“Here. I had to sneak the last strawberry one before Nora noticed.” Blake said playfully, a wink added for good measure. Despite how much cooler it was, Yang felt her face was suddenly warmer again.

“Thanks.” she said simply, accepting the offered popsicle. Blake broke their brief eye contact but Yang’s eyes remained on her face. The moonlight offered a soft glow to her partner, giving light to the faunus who fancied herself, at times, a living shadow. The moonlight complimented her tan skin and illuminated her black hair, recently cropped short. 

Slowly, Yang reached over with her freehand, taking Blake’s into it, lacing their fingers again with no resistance. The two of them sat in silence, watching the moon rise and Nora and Ruby chase after fireflies, the others talking around them. 

If she was the sunshine, then Blake was the moonlight. Unlike the moon and sun, however, they could be together, and as long as they were, Yang knew everything would be alright.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was originally thinking of making a beach episode type of thing for this prompt but I started thinking to myself "Oh man, Blake would so be the type to write a poem or two". Yeah Ren's not the only poet in the group.
> 
> Anyway I didn't want to write just the poem so I went from there. Homestretch, tomorrow is the last one. I know, it's over already?! But I'm a little more comfortable writing Blake and Yang now so that's good. Yay!
> 
> See you tomorrow.


	7. Tiger/Dragon (Tattoos)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yang has a crazy idea one summer afternoon, and Blake follows along. She doesn't expect to meet someone of similar experience.

“Wait, you wanna get a  _ tattoo _ ?” Blake said, laughing gently as her and Yang sat huddled together at the noodle stand. The summer rain had started out of nowhere, as it would, and the two of them hid to get out of it. Plus, any excuse to get more fish and noodles was good for Blake, as far as she was concerned.

“Yeah, why not! I just turned 18, and therefore I’m old enough to get one!” Yang explained, waving her chopsticks in her hand. Blake giggled softly at her partner’s enthusiasm on the subject. If there was one thing about Yang that one could find admirable and amusing, it was her sense of freedom.

“Do you even know where they’d have a tattoo parlor in town? Like, I’d be surprised if they had one this close to a huntsmen academy.” Blake asked as she polished off her food.

“Actually, there’s one not too far from here. Called Shark Tooth Parlor.” Yang said, grinning widely. The location, Yang showed Blake on her scroll, not too far from the noodle stand. Within a few moments, they walked a few blocks together (Blake figuring she’d at least humor her partner) to find the alleyway it was located. Down a set of concrete steps with a handlebar that looked like it’d seen better days, covered in dents and a pinch of rust, there was a glass window with a neon light shark in the window.

“This is the place, huh?” Blake said, looking into the window with an arched eyebrow.

“Yep!” Yang said, opening the door, a bell ringing with it. The two girls entered, looking around the place. It was fairly well kept up, the walls covered in red wallpaper and rock posters that were probably even older than they were. The checkerboard white-and-black floors were immaculate, and Blake could swear she could smell lavender, or some other kind of floral cleaning scent.

“Ahoy!” A deep, boisterous voice called from the backroom. A very tall, older man came into view, with dark blue hair greying by the man’s ears, spiked in all kinds of directions. His eyes were blood red and had dark circles underneath them. His grin was something Blake latched onto; his teeth were sharp, sharper than any human teeth could possibly be. 

_ Oh. He’s a faunus like me. _

“Hello! We’re here to get a tattoo. Um, I’m here to get a tattoo, my partner here’s just tagging along.” Yang said, a bit of nervousness in her tone. Not that Blake could blame Yang for being a little intimidated by the man’s large, muscular form.

“So ye are. You’re of age, lass?” The man spoke with a thick accent that reminded them of a pirate, almost.

“Just turned 18 recently, sir.” Yang said, nodding. She handed the man her school ID. He stared a moment and his eyes lit up a bit.

“Xiao Long? That’s a name that rings bells.” he said with a chuckle, handing the ID back to Yang.

“Does it?” Yang said, perking up a little. “My dad went to Beacon years ago. Taiyang Xiao Long.” The man chuckled again.

“Ah yes. Went to school with the bloke. Fancied himself the ladies man, though he was just a hopeless romantic at heart. You’re one of his daughters, ye?” the man asked. Yang nodded, and Blake watched them talk with arms crossed.

“He’s a good man. Really ought to get back in touch with ‘im. He was one of my first clients, too. Granted, it was before I got me own shop, and I was still an amateur. Anywho, what can I do ye for, lass?”

Yang explained what she wanted; a golden dragon on her left shoulder blade; her father would often call her his sunny little dragon, after all. Blake couldn’t help but grin at how cute it all was. After the man led them into one of the back rooms, she moved her tank top and bra straps aside with Blake’s help. She sat backwards in the leather chair, and the tattoo artist began to work. Blake held Yang’s free hand in hers, noticing that despite not wanting it to show, Yang was definitely feeling at least a little bit of pain.

“You don’t gotta hold my hand if you don’t want to, Blake, it’s not so bad.” Yang said through grit teeth. Blake giggled a bit.

“I think I’ll just keep on holding your hand. Just in case.” Blake replied. The man’s brow raised but his grin widened a bit. Three hours later, a dragon tattoo lay across Yang’s shoulder blade, black ink being gently wiped clean by the man. After covering the tattoo, the two faunus let Yang make herself decent again, walking into the main room.

“I won’t pry, lass, but I wish ye wouldn’t hide. Us faunus should be proud of who we are.” The man said softly. Blake looked up at the man, eyes widening.

“You can tell?” She asked, her heart jumping in her chest. The man seemed to tell she was nervous, his smile wavering.

“I noticed your bow twitch a bit. It’s not hard to put the two together, no worries. If you're hiding from someone, I understand. I won’t tell anybody. I just wish ye find peace with it one day.” The man said, his deep voice softening. “I was for some time, too. I left the White Fang years ago myself. I saw a mate change completely, into someone I didn’t recognize no more.”

“I’m sorry.” Blake spoke softly, sympathy in her tone. The man shook his head.

“Aye, don’t be sorry. I ended up making better friends. Ones that I would still do anything for, even if time has caused us to drift apart a wee bit. Especially my partner. Human she be, too, but she be one of the kindest souls I’d ever met. I know most humans can be unkind to us faunus folk, but those who do offer their hands, their  _ hearts _ to us...those are important people to hold onto. I’ve only known ye two for a few hours, but I can tell yer important to each other. Hold onto each other, lass.”

“...thank you.” Blake said, nodding in understanding, offering the shark faunus a kind smile. It was returned by that big toothy grin he had that was almost comical to her. “What is your name, by the way?” she asked.

“Saxon. Saxon Mako.” he said, nodding his head. “Yers?”

“Blake Belladonna.” she answered. His brow quirked a bit, but he didn’t question. Blake briefly wondered if she’d known her father, but kept the question to herself this time.

After Yang came back out, she paid for the tattoo as well as a few things for aftercare (he was kind enough to give a bit of a discount, as Yang was a daughter of an old friend), he turned to Blake once more.

“Am I going to see you again for your 18th?” he said, half joking. Blake smiled and gave a shrug.

“We’ll see.”

A few months later, she had a tiger tattooed on her right shoulder blade, to correspond to the tattoo on Yang’s. Yang held her hand the whole time, as she was not quite as tolerant of pain as her partner. And they still held hands as they left the parlor, Saxon’s grin following after them, and all the way back to campus after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this was more Blake than Bumbleby here but I tried, lol. Also Saxon is a fancharacter, and is a part of a team. Maybe I'll write them a fic one day. We'll see.
> 
> Anyway, thank you for reading these fics!


	8. Bonus!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bonus fic! Yang and Blake have their first kiss under the stars.

The air was thick with uncertainty that night. It was Yang’s turn on watch, having just left Atlas and Mantle behind. Blake decided she didn’t want Yang to go it alone, maybe because deep down she didn’t want to not be by her partner’s side right now. She wished she had the means to make them both a hot cup of tea right now. At least, she kept reminding herself, they still had each other.

“Yang?” she called out, watching the blonde’s hair blow in the cold, but slight winds. Yang slowly turned to her, obviously tired but a smile slowly rising on her flushed cheeks.

“Hey. You can’t sleep?” Yang answered, helping Blake onto the rocky cliff she’d found herself sitting on. Blake huddled close to Yang, shoulder to shoulder, draping the blanket she’d had across her shoulder around Yang as well.

“I don’t know how anyone can right now. Who knows what’s going to happen now.” Blake murmured softly, looking out at the star filled sky. It was a beautiful sight, though, the broken moon shining a light across the horizon. It was almost relieving.

“I don’t think anyone does. But we’re still here.” Yang said softly, her arm wrapping itself around Blake’s waist, bringing her even closer.

“Yeah.” Blake hummed, leaning her head on Yang’s shoulder. The two sat in silence, listening to the crash of ocean waves below them, in the night sky above them, shrouded in stars and fragments of the moon. Despite the relaxing environment, Blake felt her heart pound in her chest, and she bit her lip softly.

_ Is now the moment? _

“Blake?” Yang spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. Blake leaned up and looked up at Yang, her violet eyes particularly vibrant in the moonlight.

“Yes, Yang?” Blake whispered, her heart jumping into her throat.

“...I love you.” Yang spoke softly, before leaning closer. Blake met her halfway, their lips meeting each other for the first time. The kiss lingered for a good moment, the both of them breathing through their noses softly. One of Yang’s hands caressed Blake’s cheek, the other on the back of her head, gently stroking her hair. Blake rested her hands on Yang’s lap.

When it ended, Blake wished it hadn’t. She took in a deep breath and looked back at Yang, smiling up at her.

“I love you too.” she whispered, again, before wrapping her arms around Yang’s shoulders and pulling her into another kiss. Yang’s arms wrapped around her waist and nearly crushed her against her chest, but Blake didn’t mind, moaning softly into the kiss. They broke apart again and shared a smile, pressing their foreheads together, Blake’s cat ears folding back. They stayed like that for hours, in each other’s arms, looking at each other, though also paying attention to their surroundings of course, and just being together.

After all, they still had each other. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it! My first Bumbleby week! Yay!
> 
> I'm happy that these lil ficlets of mine have been enjoyed by people. I'm glad. I'm very self-conscious about any creative endeavor I undertake so it's nice to see.
> 
> Also (I doubt they'll ever read these but what the heck) s/o to Barbara Dunkleman and Arryn Zech for voicing these fantastic characters! Thanks for all that you do, on and off screen! You're awesome!
> 
> And thank you, readers! Until next time! - Kat


End file.
